2:42 Rob Davis, a longtime affiliate owner, shared his thoughts on programming and how he determines if it’s effective. Davis detailed the way he tracks results and the benefits of discussing those results with his athletes, and he explained how programming affects the culture of an affiliate.

16:08 Jason Khalipa described his experience at this year’s CrossFit Games and explained why 2014 is likely his last year competing as an individual. He spoke about the mental aspects of the Games and how his experience helped him on the final day of competition this year. He talked about what’s next for him, including the first CrossFit Team Series and the possibility of competing on NorCal CrossFit’s affiliate team in the future. Finally, Khalipa shared some business advice with other affiliate owners. ]]>http://journal.crossfit.com/2014/08/crossfit-radio-episode-344.tpl
Justin JudkinsJustin Judkinshttp://journal.crossfit.com/2014/08/crossfit-radio-episode-344.tplAudioRadioSat, 30 Aug 2014 16:00:00 -0800CrossFit Radio Episode 266On Episode 266 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins interviewed CrossFit success story Nicki Garcia and CrossFit Games competitor and Level 1 Seminar Staff member Katie Hogan. This episode was webcast live at 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, March 6, 2013.

4:41 When she was younger, Nicki Garcia was active in dance and a variety of sports. That ended 13 years ago when she suffered a traumatic injury in a car accident. Told by doctors that she would never be active again, she found CrossFit a year ago and reclaimed her fitness. Garcia explained what the first few months of training were like and why CrossFit made such a difference. Of interest to anyone working with an injured athlete, Garcia detailed how she scaled workouts when she became active again, and she gave some great advice to coaches training athletes with injuries.

29:01 As a two-time CrossFit Games competitor, Katie Hogan gave her thoughts on the beginning of the CrossFit competition season and Open Event 13.1. She explained how she mentally prepares for a workout and offered advice on how to warm up for 13.1. Hogan is known for her strength—think 385-lb. deadlift and 225-lb. clean and jerk—and she described how she trains women who want to gain strength.

2:26 Jon Jansen played in the NFL for 11 seasons and now owns CrossFit Petoskey. Jansen talked about playing for the University of Michigan when the Wolverines won the national championship in 1997, and he compared his training through his college and NFL career to his current CrossFit regime. He explained how his career as an offensive tackle would have improved had he known about CrossFit when drafted by the Washington Redskins in 1999, and he described how he would use CrossFit to train someone for the NFL Combine. Jansen currently trains high-school and college athletes and gave advice to other trainers working with young athletes.

29:26 Joe Westerlin runs CrossFit Omaha and is also a member of CrossFit’s Level 1 Seminar Staff. In his “spare time,” he coaches CrossFit Games athletes Kyle Kasperbauer and Stacie Tovar. Westerlin talked about the pressure he puts on himself as a coach and the faith his athletes put in him. The Nebraska resident explained how he programs year round for his competitive athletes, as well as how he coaches competitors while still focusing on his general members. Echoing the thoughts of coaches in boxes around the world, Westerlin said he strives for excellence as a coach and tries to educates himself so he can produce the best results in his athletes.

5:40 Irene Mejia has been overweight her entire life and tried everything she could to lose weight. Once she was diagnosed with diabetes, she knew she had to shed pounds to be healthy. She lost about 35 lb. on her own but got even greater results when she joined a CrossFit affiliate a few blocks from her house. She described how she was initially intimidated by CrossFit but said various success stories convinced her that the program could be her answer. To date, she has lost almost 200 lb., and she has formed lifetime friends in the CrossFit community. Interestingly, she has traveled to 74 different affiliates to work out. Finally, Meija talked about competing in the Open and why the competitive side of CrossFit is important to her.

30:33 In January of this year, Bill Grundler made the decision to leave his full-time job as a firefighter to run CrossFit Inferno. He explained that his immediate focus was on strengthening the infrastructure of his business, and he started by establishing an internship and training program. A top athlete, Grundler talked about his own training, his personal outlook for the Open and his desire to qualify for the CrossFit Games. Grundler could compete as a Master, but he talked about instead going head to head with the studs in the Individual category. Grundler said he thinks it’s valuable for the average CrossFitter to compete even if qualifying for Regionals or the Games is unlikely. In terms of programming, Grundler explained how he trains his own athletes to handle the volume and weights associated with his aggressive programming.

4:25 Dallin Frampton is the owner of new affiliate CrossFit Spearhead, and he’s also leading CrossFit’s charitable Hope for Kenya project. Frampton explained that Hope for Kenya exists to help build schools, water cisterns, latrine systems and rotational gardens in the area around Mombasa. CrossFit’s efforts are dramatically changing the area, and Frampton described how he initially connected with Coach Greg Glassman to get CrossFit’s founder and CEO involved. Frampton detailed how people can get involved in the efforts and talked about the Hope for Kenya fundraising event that will take place Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013.

30:02 Justin Bergh is the general manager of the CrossFit Games, and he explained how record numbers of CrossFit athletes are expected to participate in the Open, which starts March 6. Bergh detailed some of the changes fans and athletes can expect to see this year, as well as why he thinks the changes will make for a better competition. Bergh spoke about the growth and popularity of the Games but reminded that the Games are only a small part of the CrossFit program. Finally, Bergh described the Online Judges Course and why he thinks fans, athletes and most importantly judges will benefit from the course.

The Words of Wisdom are from the Morgan Junction CrossFit article Need a Stronger Grip? The article talked about training to increase your grip strength when working with kettlebells.

4:20 Level 1 Seminar Staff member Jason Leydon also works with CrossFit Endurance and owns CrossFit Milford in Milford, Conn. He described his affiliate and its programs, as well as how he selects and develops coaches. He also detailed his corporate fitness program and virtual training program. Leydon talked about being on the Level 1 Seminar Staff and CrossFit Endurance team, and he gave a rundown of competitors to watch during the upcoming competition season, including CrossFit Games veteran Rob Orlando.

32:07 Emily Turner is a TV broadcaster who has moved several times for work. She described what the larger CrossFit community means to her every time she moves to a new town. Turner talked about what she looks for when choosing a new affiliate, as well as what she looks for in a coach. She says the vibe or culture of the gym has to match her personality. As a journalist, Turner explained how she tries to present the CrossFit community in her features.

1:03 Justin read an email from Morgan B. about how his members generously helped a local middle-school wrestling team gear up for the season.

5:36 This week’s Words of Wisdom focused on how choose the best shoe for CrossFit. A few factors to consider include comfort, weight, performance, cost and durability.

7:30 Barry Weidner is the owner and head trainer at CrossFit Generation. The box has been a CrossFit affiliate for almost seven years, and Weidner described how his gym has evolved and changed. CrossFit Generation has three separate rooms so it can hold three different types of classes simultaneously, and the owner talked about the equipment requirements of additional programs. Weidner talked about the upcoming CrossFit competition season and described how his affiliate caters to the athletes who want to compete without upsetting those who have no intention of competing. For more information, watch the CrossFit Journal video The 50s Club.

36:58 Chase Ingraham is a CrossFit Level One Seminar Staff member, a coach at CrossFit Dallas Central, and a CrossFit media commentator. He came on the show to talk about coaching and preparing his affiliate team for the upcoming competition season. CrossFit Dallas Central had a successful year in 2012 as the team won its Regional and placed seventh at the CrossFit Games. Ingraham also shared his story of how he came to coach at the affiliate, and he talked about being on the Level One Seminar Staff. He’s been working to overcome a serious shoulder injury that required surgery, and he gave advice to other CrossFitters who are recovering from an injury, noting that it can be a tough mental challenge when you’re used to hitting CrossFit WODs at -100 percent as part of daily life.]]>http://journal.crossfit.com/2013/02/cfradioepisode261.tpl
Justin JudkinsJustin Judkinshttp://journal.crossfit.com/2013/02/cfradioepisode261.tplAffiliationAudioCoachingLevel 1 Seminar StaffRadioFri, 01 Feb 2013 18:00:00 -0800CrossFit Radio Episode 260On Episode 260 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins interviewed Rob Davis, owner of CrossFit 817, as well as affiliate owner and CrossFit Games competitor Aja Barto. This episode was webcast live at 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013.

This week’s Words of Wisdom are from Pat Barber of Norcal CrossFit: Coach Pat on Overtraining. Barber, who has competed in several editions of the CrossFit Games, talked about how to recognize the signs of overtraining and what to do if they appear.

4:02 Rob Davis told the story of losing a high-paying white-collar job but finding CrossFit. With his family in dire financial straits, he used what limited resources he had to register for a CrossFit Level 1 Seminar, and when he was given an anonymous gift of $8,000, he used it to start CrossFit 817. He now has a 15,000-square-foot facility and over 300 members. Davis talked about what the CrossFit community means to him, how he started his affiliate in his garage, and what he did in those early days to attract members. He says his passion helped him to be a successful affiliate owner. For more of Davis’ story, read the article The Tribes in Texas and watch the video The Rob Davis Story.

31:26 Aja Barto and his brother Aryan started Behemoth CrossFit last June, and Aja talked about how he selected the name of his affiliate and got people into the box. Behemoth CrossFit is actually located in a basketball court inside a fitness facility, and Aja has to be creative in his programming. He described how he plans the workouts and why he’s so detailed when writing the WOD on his website. Finally, Aja commented on his own training in preparation for the Open, as well as how rewarding it is to see his athletes progress.

The Words of Wisdom are from the CrossFit Verve blog, in which CrossFit athletes are encouraged to reflect on the accomplishments of the past year before planning goals for 2013.

6:08 Chris Irwin and his wife own the only CrossFit affiliate in the Virgin Islands, Reebok CrossFit St. Thomas. Irwin described how he found CrossFit and started an affiliate, and he talked about his athletic background as a member of the Navy crew team. According to Irwin, CrossFit is growing in St. Thomas, and he described his box’s community and some of the ways they get local businesses involved in fun events on the beach. Finally, Irwin talked about how he encourages his athletes to compete in the sport of CrossFit as well as enjoy it as a general physical preparedness program.

32:32 With his wife, Zach Forrest owns CrossFit Max Effort in Las Vegas, Nev. Forrest described how Dave Castro introduced him to CrossFit when he was in the Navy, which was fortunate because Forrest met his future wife at his first CrossFit affiliate. Forrest explained how it was a natural transition for him to start coaching and said he created a partnership with another affiliate owner in the beginning. In the tourist destination of Las Vegas, CrossFit Max Effort gets constant drop-ins, and Forrest described how he manages the traffic. He also explained how he programs around the timing of the CrossFit Games and uses two-month cycles to emphasize different aspects of training. Similar to Irwin, he says the sport of CrossFit is a priority in his programming but doesn’t take precedence over CrossFit as a GPP program.

The Words of Wisdom are from a CrossFit Verve article in which Luke Palmisano explains the differences between an “Oly deadlift” and a “CrossFit deadlift.”

7:30 Rudy Tapalla came on the show to describe how he found CrossFit and how he started his affiliate, CrossFit Chicago. He explained some of the different programs at his box, including a women’s-only class. Tapalla integrates social media into his system and says it benefits his athletes, and he talked about the software programs he uses to run his business and track athletes’ results. In terms of programming, Tapalla shared all his secrets and explained why he provides a program with more volume in addition to regular WODs.

32:43 Josh Bridges placed second at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games but had to sit out the 2012 Open due to service with the U.S. Navy. He was invited to the Games but had to withdraw due to a serious knee injury. He spoke about his injury, his recovery and the mental battle to overcome a setback. He described how he’s been training and listed some recent PRs. Moving beyond the physical, the SoCal athlete explained how he mentally prepares for a tough WOD and deals with the rough parts of a workout once it starts. Finally, he gave his personal outlook on this year’s competitive season.

6:20 Susan Habbe won the 50-54 Division at this year’s CrossFit Games, defending a title won in the 45-50 Division a year earlier. She talked about the importance of finding a good coach and explained how mobility work is important for her as she ages. Habbe recently had shoulder surgery and spoke about her recovery, and she revealed a few of the weaknesses she’s been working on since the Games. She also described a few things she’d talk to Coach Greg Glassman about if she had the chance.

35.54 Gene LaMonica won the 45-49 Division at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. The athlete from Colorado spoke about his strengths and weaknesses and gave his opinion about the volume of workouts at the Games for masters and main-event individual competitors. He also detailed his training and preparations for the upcoming Games season, and he described his nutrition. LaMonica is OK with eating more carbohydrates during the off season but cuts back during competition. He explained how important it is to train smart and gave advice to younger athletes who want to compete at a high level for their entire lives.

The Words of Wisdom are from Coach Greg Glassman. In his CrossFit Journal article Virtuosity, CrossFit’s founder explained how mastery of fundamentals should be the focus of all CrossFit programming: “What will inevitably doom a physical training program and dilute a coach’s efficacy is a lack of commitment to fundamentals,” he wrote. The article, published Aug. 1, 2005, is one of the defining documents of the CrossFit method of training.

6:30 Holly Rose’s food addiction actually brought her to the edge of death. At 417 lb., she couldn’t sleep in a bed, wear shoes or pick up her children. She found CrossFit shortly after stomach surgery, and with the help of a good CrossFit coach and lots of hard work, she has lost almost 200 lb. She described her life as a food addict and when she knew she was ready for a change. Rose started exercising in the hospital after surgery, and she could only do 30 seconds at a time. Her progress was painful and slow, but she persevered. As she found CrossFit, she wondered how she would have the gall to walk into a gym in her state of health. Rose described how the community and culture of CrossFit were instrumental in helping her stick with her training, and now she’s healthier than ever. The fact that she can play with her kids, walk them to school and pick up 40-lb. sacks of dog food is monumental considering what her life was like before.

The Words of Wisdom are from a CrossFit Verve article on post-WOD nutrition:

1. No fat intake after a workout.
2. Carbs. You need carbs.
3. Protein. You need protein.
4. Remember: you need to eat after a workout.

4:35 Jay White is a former pro MMA fighter who recently started CrossFit. He explained the similarities and differences between MMA and CrossFit training, and he described what it was like to train with Randy Couture for three years. White talked about how he found CrossFit and why he’s drawn to compete, and he said would like to compete at the highest level possible. He described how CrossFit culture and community are like nothing he has ever seen before, and he’s now signed up to attend a Level 1 Seminar so he can start coaching.

28:00 It’s always refreshing to find someone who’s main focus is chasing excellence. CrossFit Matters owner and head coach Jim Caskey understands that if he is an excellent coach and helps others attain fitness, everything else will fall in line. Caskey came on the show to explain some of his philosophies, including how he will never allow more than 12 people in a class. He described how he tries to improve as a coach and shared some of the best lessons he’s learned over the last three years. Caskey also talked about his nutrition program, “Nutrition Matters,” and why it’s been so popular with his members.

4:05 Juan Valentin is the general manager for the Special Operation Forces Wounded Warrior Athlete Program. He came on the show to discuss how the program was founded, and he explained the many ways it supports elite soldiers who want to use CrossFit to aid their recovery. He described how 9Line helps to facilitate that support. Juan, a wounded SOF soldier himself, described some accomplishments these warriors have had since being injured and how CrossFit has played a major role in their achievements. For more info about 9Line and its programs, read Athletes—Always by Russell Berger.

28:30 Rich Froning Jr. came on the show to talk about the Team Rogue Vs. Team Again Faster Throwdown that recently took place in Tahoe. He described the atmosphere and what it was like to spend time with such incredible athletes and individuals, and he gave his thoughts on competing on a team as opposed to on his own. Rich talked about the injury that prevented him from competing in the CrossFit-USAW Open and explained how his training is going for next year’s Games. And yes, he also talked about his prowess on a climbing rope.

12:35 Bryan Wadkins has made it his mission to honor all the heroes who pay the ultimate price and lay down their lives in the line of duty. Wadkins has taken on 38 Hero WODs in two months, and he spoke about the experiences he has had and the discoveries he has made since starting the endeavor. He talked about how the idea came about and why it’s become so important to him. Bryan described how he would like to turn his project into a fundraising event for the Wounded Warrior Foundation.

32:05 This week Skip Chase will celebrate his fifth anniversary of owning Mt. Baker CrossFit. He came on the show to talk about the changes he has seen in CrossFit and, more specifically, in his affiliate over the last five years. He talked about the philosophy they have incorporated in their box and why that’s making a lasting change in their community. Skip also spoke about how it’s important to be able to help your clients and athletes with their nutrition choices. He’s found the best approach is to go right into their homes and talk to them about what is or is not found in their pantry and refrigerator.

1hr 2min 19sec

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Justin JudkinsJustin Judkinshttp://journal.crossfit.com/2010/10/crossfit-radio-episode-143.tplAffiliationAudioRadioWed, 27 Oct 2010 18:00:00 -0800CrossFit Radio, Episode 142On Episode 142 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins talked to CrossFitting college student David Hagerty about his plans for doing a U.S. tour of CrossFit affiliates. CrossFit Southside owner Justin Bergh also came on to talk about running an affiliate. This episode was webcast live at 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010.

5:30 The next six months are going to be busy ones for David Hagerty. He will graduate from Iowa State University in December and then plans on taking a trip across the United States, visiting 40 or 50 CrossFit affiliates on his tour. He explained that he’s doing this for educational purposes and plans on meticulously documenting the entire trip so he has a broad reference of coaching styles, business and marketing strategies, and community-building materials that will help him in his future CrossFit endeavors.

25:25 HQ staff member and CrossFit Southside owner Justin Bergh came on the show to offer different tips and strategies for building a successful business. He talked about running an affiliate when the owner has a busy schedule, and he gave advice on how to hire the right trainer/coach. He also explained how his business is structured and why he felt the need to bring on an additional coach. Justin also shared his philosophy on effective programming and what he believes an affiliate owner should focus on as he or she programs for an affiliate.

1hr 3min 7sec

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Justin JudkinsJustin Judkinshttp://journal.crossfit.com/2010/10/crossfit-radio-episode-142.tplAffiliationAudioRadioWed, 20 Oct 2010 18:00:00 -0800Dr. Barry Sears CrossFit Presentation, Part 8: Zone PerformanceThe Zone Diet can help you achieve wellness—freedom from disease and inflammation—but it can also help you smash PRs.

In Part 8 of Dr. Sears’ presentation on Aug. 8, 2009, in Orange County, Calif., the creator of the Zone Diet talks about how proper nutrition has worked for elite athletes. From NFL and NBA players to Olympians, top athletes have found that following the Zone Diet can help them to longer careers, PRs, gold medals and world records.

“These are professionals,” Sears says of elite athletes who endorse the Zone. “Their paycheck depends on performing at peak levels.”

He continues: “What’s our goal? Whether it be wellness or performance, it’s re-establishing harmony with our genes. Our genes still live in the Stone Age. Unfortunately, we’re living in the 21st century, and that makes it harder to maintain wellness, harder to maintain performance.”

With the Zone Diet, you can manage your hormones and modify the expression of your genes. The result? Health, wellness and new standards of personal performance.

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Dr. Barry SearsDr. Barry Searshttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/10/barry-8.tplAudioNutritionVideosSat, 31 Oct 2009 16:00:00 -0800Speech To Okinawa Marines (Part 1 of 5)On April 22, 2009, Coach Glassman gave a presentation to the Officers and Staff Non-Commissioned Officers of the 3d Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan. Major General Robert Neller extended the invitation to increase the unit leaders’ knowledge of fitness, injury mitigation, and overall combat preparedness.

In part 1, Coach Glassman begins by speaking of his early influences. His father is an engineer who once made him precisely measure the length of 1,000 nails and plot the results. The lesson learned? Properly defining terms, careful observation, measurement, prediction and experimentation can reveal truths previously undiscovered. The CrossFit story started with a belief in fitness. There is an acquired capacity that lends itself generally well to any and all activities. A person is as fit as they are balanced in 10 general physical skills. The specialty of CrossFit is not specializing. The goal is to prepare for the unknown and unknowable. All physiological adaptations are important. None should be neglected. By this definition, he or she who performs best on average on the skills and drills common to all sports is most fit.

In part 2, Coach Glassman discusses the desirability of balance among all metabolic pathways. The performances of athletes who can clean and jerk three times body weight or win an Ironman competition suggest imbalance. CrossFit has looked at human movement and resolved it to its fundamental physical units of force, distance and time. Power output can be measured across broad time and modal domains.

In part 3, the question and answer session begins. After speaking of early encounters with Pukie and stealing unicycles, Coach Glassman discusses programming, implementation, and how to run PT as sport.

In part 4, Coach Glassman discusses the importance of mastering basic mechanics and the balance between safety, efficiency and efficacy. The Colorado State Patrol has now been using CrossFit for five years without a single injury and has just incorporated some CrossFit workouts into its fitness testing.

In part 5, Coach Glassman says that every civilian contractor for physical training throughout the Department of Defense should be fired. Service members have to figure things out for themselves. He discusses some of the challenges that have been encountered in implementing CrossFit in the Marine Corps. Jimi Letchford, Director of Operation Phoenix, provided an update on how CrossFit is being used at the School of Infantry and elsewhere in the Corps.

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Greg GlassmanGreg Glassmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/06/glassman-talks-at-okinawa.tplAudioCrossFitVideosSun, 28 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0800Speech To Okinawa Marines (Part 2 of 5)On April 22, 2009, Coach Glassman gave a presentation to the Officers and Staff Non-Commissioned Officers of the 3d Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan. Major General Robert Neller extended the invitation to increase the unit leaders’ knowledge of fitness, injury mitigation, and overall combat preparedness.

In part 1, Coach Glassman begins by speaking of his early influences. His father is an engineer who once made him precisely measure the length of 1,000 nails and plot the results. The lesson learned? Properly defining terms, careful observation, measurement, prediction and experimentation can reveal truths previously undiscovered. The CrossFit story started with a belief in fitness. There is an acquired capacity that lends itself generally well to any and all activities. A person is as fit as they are balanced in 10 general physical skills. The specialty of CrossFit is not specializing. The goal is to prepare for the unknown and unknowable. All physiological adaptations are important. None should be neglected. By this definition, he or she who performs best on average on the skills and drills common to all sports is most fit.

In part 2, Coach Glassman discusses the desirability of balance among all metabolic pathways. The performances of athletes who can clean and jerk three times body weight or win an Ironman competition suggest imbalance. CrossFit has looked at human movement and resolved it to its fundamental physical units of force, distance and time. Power output can be measured across broad time and modal domains.

In part 3, the question and answer session begins. After speaking of early encounters with Pukie and stealing unicycles, Coach Glassman discusses programming, implementation, and how to run PT as sport.

In part 4, Coach Glassman discusses the importance of mastering basic mechanics and the balance between safety, efficiency and efficacy. The Colorado State Patrol has now been using CrossFit for five years without a single injury and has just incorporated some CrossFit workouts into its fitness testing.

In part 5, Coach Glassman says that every civilian contractor for physical training throughout the Department of Defense should be fired. Service members have to figure things out for themselves. He discusses some of the challenges that have been encountered in implementing CrossFit in the Marine Corps. Jimi Letchford, Director of Operation Phoenix, provided an update on how CrossFit is being used at the School of Infantry and elsewhere in the Corps.

]]>http://journal.crossfit.com/2009/06/glassman-talks-at-okinawa.tpl
Greg GlassmanGreg Glassmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/06/glassman-talks-at-okinawa.tplAudioCrossFitVideosSun, 28 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0800Speech To Okinawa Marines (Part 3 of 5)On April 22, 2009, Coach Glassman gave a presentation to the Officers and Staff Non-Commissioned Officers of the 3d Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan. Major General Robert Neller extended the invitation to increase the unit leaders’ knowledge of fitness, injury mitigation, and overall combat preparedness.

In part 1, Coach Glassman begins by speaking of his early influences. His father is an engineer who once made him precisely measure the length of 1,000 nails and plot the results. The lesson learned? Properly defining terms, careful observation, measurement, prediction and experimentation can reveal truths previously undiscovered. The CrossFit story started with a belief in fitness. There is an acquired capacity that lends itself generally well to any and all activities. A person is as fit as they are balanced in 10 general physical skills. The specialty of CrossFit is not specializing. The goal is to prepare for the unknown and unknowable. All physiological adaptations are important. None should be neglected. By this definition, he or she who performs best on average on the skills and drills common to all sports is most fit.

In part 2, Coach Glassman discusses the desirability of balance among all metabolic pathways. The performances of athletes who can clean and jerk three times body weight or win an Ironman competition suggest imbalance. CrossFit has looked at human movement and resolved it to its fundamental physical units of force, distance and time. Power output can be measured across broad time and modal domains.

In part 3, the question and answer session begins. After speaking of early encounters with Pukie and stealing unicycles, Coach Glassman discusses programming, implementation, and how to run PT as sport.

In part 4, Coach Glassman discusses the importance of mastering basic mechanics and the balance between safety, efficiency and efficacy. The Colorado State Patrol has now been using CrossFit for five years without a single injury and has just incorporated some CrossFit workouts into its fitness testing.

In part 5, Coach Glassman says that every civilian contractor for physical training throughout the Department of Defense should be fired. Service members have to figure things out for themselves. He discusses some of the challenges that have been encountered in implementing CrossFit in the Marine Corps. Jimi Letchford, Director of Operation Phoenix, provided an update on how CrossFit is being used at the School of Infantry and elsewhere in the Corps.

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Greg GlassmanGreg Glassmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/06/glassman-talks-at-okinawa.tplAudioCrossFitVideosSun, 28 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0800Speech To Okinawa Marines (Part 4 of 5)On April 22, 2009, Coach Glassman gave a presentation to the Officers and Staff Non-Commissioned Officers of the 3d Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan. Major General Robert Neller extended the invitation to increase the unit leaders’ knowledge of fitness, injury mitigation, and overall combat preparedness.

In part 1, Coach Glassman begins by speaking of his early influences. His father is an engineer who once made him precisely measure the length of 1,000 nails and plot the results. The lesson learned? Properly defining terms, careful observation, measurement, prediction and experimentation can reveal truths previously undiscovered. The CrossFit story started with a belief in fitness. There is an acquired capacity that lends itself generally well to any and all activities. A person is as fit as they are balanced in 10 general physical skills. The specialty of CrossFit is not specializing. The goal is to prepare for the unknown and unknowable. All physiological adaptations are important. None should be neglected. By this definition, he or she who performs best on average on the skills and drills common to all sports is most fit.

In part 2, Coach Glassman discusses the desirability of balance among all metabolic pathways. The performances of athletes who can clean and jerk three times body weight or win an Ironman competition suggest imbalance. CrossFit has looked at human movement and resolved it to its fundamental physical units of force, distance and time. Power output can be measured across broad time and modal domains.

In part 3, the question and answer session begins. After speaking of early encounters with Pukie and stealing unicycles, Coach Glassman discusses programming, implementation, and how to run PT as sport.

In part 4, Coach Glassman discusses the importance of mastering basic mechanics and the balance between safety, efficiency and efficacy. The Colorado State Patrol has now been using CrossFit for five years without a single injury and has just incorporated some CrossFit workouts into its fitness testing.

In part 5, Coach Glassman says that every civilian contractor for physical training throughout the Department of Defense should be fired. Service members have to figure things out for themselves. He discusses some of the challenges that have been encountered in implementing CrossFit in the Marine Corps. Jimi Letchford, Director of Operation Phoenix, provided an update on how CrossFit is being used at the School of Infantry and elsewhere in the Corps.

]]>http://journal.crossfit.com/2009/06/glassman-talks-at-okinawa.tpl
Greg GlassmanGreg Glassmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/06/glassman-talks-at-okinawa.tplAudioCrossFitVideosSun, 28 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0800Speech To Okinawa Marines (Part 5 of 5)On April 22, 2009, Coach Glassman gave a presentation to the Officers and Staff Non-Commissioned Officers of the 3d Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan. Major General Robert Neller extended the invitation to increase the unit leaders’ knowledge of fitness, injury mitigation, and overall combat preparedness.

In part 1, Coach Glassman begins by speaking of his early influences. His father is an engineer who once made him precisely measure the length of 1,000 nails and plot the results. The lesson learned? Properly defining terms, careful observation, measurement, prediction and experimentation can reveal truths previously undiscovered. The CrossFit story started with a belief in fitness. There is an acquired capacity that lends itself generally well to any and all activities. A person is as fit as they are balanced in 10 general physical skills. The specialty of CrossFit is not specializing. The goal is to prepare for the unknown and unknowable. All physiological adaptations are important. None should be neglected. By this definition, he or she who performs best on average on the skills and drills common to all sports is most fit.

In part 2, Coach Glassman discusses the desirability of balance among all metabolic pathways. The performances of athletes who can clean and jerk three times body weight or win an Ironman competition suggest imbalance. CrossFit has looked at human movement and resolved it to its fundamental physical units of force, distance and time. Power output can be measured across broad time and modal domains.

In part 3, the question and answer session begins. After speaking of early encounters with Pukie and stealing unicycles, Coach Glassman discusses programming, implementation, and how to run PT as sport.

In part 4, Coach Glassman discusses the importance of mastering basic mechanics and the balance between safety, efficiency and efficacy. The Colorado State Patrol has now been using CrossFit for five years without a single injury and has just incorporated some CrossFit workouts into its fitness testing.

In part 5, Coach Glassman says that every civilian contractor for physical training throughout the Department of Defense should be fired. Service members have to figure things out for themselves. He discusses some of the challenges that have been encountered in implementing CrossFit in the Marine Corps. Jimi Letchford, Director of Operation Phoenix, provided an update on how CrossFit is being used at the School of Infantry and elsewhere in the Corps.

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Greg GlassmanGreg Glassmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/06/glassman-talks-at-okinawa.tplAudioCrossFitVideosSun, 28 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0800Zone Precision and AccuracyRobb Wolf is the co-owner and founder of CrossFit NorCal. He has also been studying nutrition for a long time and offers nutrition seminars all over North America.

In this video, which is a basic introduction to the Zone, Robb explains that the most acute benefit of the Zone approach to food is the accuracy and precision with which food is consumed.

There are three macronutrients that greatly affect the workings of the body: Protein, carbohydrate, and fat. With the Zone block system, you can know exactly the ratio of each at all times throughout the day. Zone blocks normalize the various differences in macronutrient effect, such that one block of sugar affects insulin to the same degree that one block of zucchini does.

No matter which approach to managing your blocks you follow, following a precise system of managing food is essential to understanding the effects of food on all levels of performance, fitness, and health.

6min 50sec

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Robb WolfRobb Wolfhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/05/zone-precision-and-accuracy.tplAudioNutritionVideosMon, 11 May 2009 15:00:00 -0800FilFest 09: Health and FitnessFilFest 09 was CrossFit’s annual affiliate gathering, which took place on February 7th and 8th, 2009 in Austin, TX. In a question and answer session on Sunday the 8th, Coach Greg Glassman gives the crowd of a few hundred affiliates a brief on CrossFit’s new definition of health.

This material has been covered already in a thorough explanation of the volume of work capacity sustained throughout life, and in his presentation to the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. But, this short clip summarizes the essence of the definition extremely well. And, it specifically addresses some of the discussion happening in the comments of those two clips.

Fitness is defined as work capacity measured across broad time and modal domains. Health is the ability to sustain that fitness. It takes into consideration all-cause disruption in that any disease, illness, or injury will manifest itself as reduced work capacity (if it doesn’t, how sick or hurt can you be?). Therefore, the only way to sustain the highest levels of fitness is to avoid, or at least minimize, disease, illness, and injury.

This is a metric for defining and measuring health. Arguably, the first of its kind.

7min 25sec

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Greg GlassmanGreg Glassmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/05/filfest-09-health-and-fitness.tplAudioCrossFitVideosFri, 08 May 2009 15:00:00 -0800Science and SkepticismJeff Glassman lectured about the nature of science itself at the Science of Exercise seminar on April 25th, 2009. Some have said that science is like love in that we can’t define, but we know it when we see it. Jeff disagrees. There are certain criteria that differentiate science from non-science, and it’s essential to identify them.

Key terms are defined, such as models, measurement and prediction, conjecture, hypothesis, theory, and law. And, the nature of logic, analysis, knowledge, and error are described.

These terms are used to explain a variety of concepts, such as why gravity is science and creationism and peer review are not.

On April 3rd, 2009 CrossFit will be introduced to the academic exercise physiology community at the American Society of Exercise Physiologists national conference to be held on the campus of Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The intellectual foundations and practical applications of CrossFit will be presented to an audience of exercise physiologists from around the world. Coach Greg Glassman, CAPT Brian Chontosh, USMC, and Mark Rippetoe will each present talks. A one hour round table question and answer forum with the speakers will follow.

This is an important event as it may be the first time an academic group has thought outside the box and invited successful exercise practitioners to contribute to forwarding the understanding of exercise science. CrossFit is sharing the spotlight with traditional scientific and theoretical presentations, and a talk by Nobel Laureate Kary Mullis. Dr. Mullis’s presentation is entitled “What if everything you knew about science was wrong?” and will be as challenging to conventional thinking as the CrossFit session.

On April 3rd, 2009 CrossFit will be introduced to the academic exercise physiology community at the American Society of Exercise Physiologists national conference to be held on the campus of Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The intellectual foundations and practical applications of CrossFit will be presented to an audience of exercise physiologists from around the world. Coach Greg Glassman, CAPT Brian Chontosh, USMC, and Mark Rippetoe will each present talks. A one hour round table question and answer forum with the speakers will follow.

This is an important event as it may be the first time an academic group has thought outside the box and invited successful exercise practitioners to contribute to forwarding the understanding of exercise science. CrossFit is sharing the spotlight with traditional scientific and theoretical presentations, and a talk by Nobel Laureate Kary Mullis. Dr. Mullis’s presentation is entitled “What if everything you knew about science was wrong?” and will be as challenging to conventional thinking as the CrossFit session.

On April 3rd, 2009 CrossFit will be introduced to the academic exercise physiology community at the American Society of Exercise Physiologists national conference to be held on the campus of Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The intellectual foundations and practical applications of CrossFit will be presented to an audience of exercise physiologists from around the world. Coach Greg Glassman, CAPT Brian Chontosh, USMC, and Mark Rippetoe will each present talks. A one hour round table question and answer forum with the speakers will follow.

This is an important event as it may be the first time an academic group has thought outside the box and invited successful exercise practitioners to contribute to forwarding the understanding of exercise science. CrossFit is sharing the spotlight with traditional scientific and theoretical presentations, and a talk by Nobel Laureate Kary Mullis. Dr. Mullis’s presentation is entitled “What if everything you knew about science was wrong?” and will be as challenging to conventional thinking as the CrossFit session.

This three part video is Coach Glassman’s presentation.

Part 1 - 21min 34sec
Part 2 - 19min 57sec
Part 3 - 16min 23sec

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Greg GlassmanGreg Glassmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/04/asep-lecture.tplAudioExPhysiologyVideosThu, 30 Apr 2009 16:00:00 -0800The Functioning Shoulder (Parts 1 and 2) (Part 1 of 2)In CrossFit and in life, we go overhead. Kelly Starrett, of San Francisco CrossFit, explains the essential anatomy and physiology of the shoulder in this excerpt from his one day seminar at CrossFit Santa Cruz on November 9, 2008.

The shoulder is designed primarily for mobility. There are a number of forces that rotate it internally, while there are relatively few forces rotating externally. Balancing the shoulder so that it remains in an optimal position for maximum stability and force production is the goal.

This is the continuation of the series from Kelly on the theory and practice of stabilizing the midline in functional movement.

Part 1 5min 53sec
Part 2 5min 19sec

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Kelly StarrettKelly Starretthttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/04/the-functioning-shoulder.tplAudioExPhysiologyVideosWed, 22 Apr 2009 21:00:00 -0800The Functioning Shoulder (Parts 1 and 2) (Part 2 of 2)In CrossFit and in life, we go overhead. Kelly Starrett, of San Francisco CrossFit, explains the essential anatomy and physiology of the shoulder in this excerpt from his one day seminar at CrossFit Santa Cruz on November 9, 2008.

The shoulder is designed primarily for mobility. There are a number of forces that rotate it internally, while there are relatively few forces rotating externally. Balancing the shoulder so that it remains in an optimal position for maximum stability and force production is the goal.

This is the continuation of the series from Kelly on the theory and practice of stabilizing the midline in functional movement.

Part 1 5min 53sec
Part 2 5min 19sec

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Kelly StarrettKelly Starretthttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/04/the-functioning-shoulder.tplAudioExPhysiologyVideosWed, 22 Apr 2009 21:00:00 -0800The Early Days of CrossFitJimmy Baker started training with Greg Glassman in the late 90’s at Spa Fitness Center in Santa Cruz, CA. He is now one of owners of, and trainers at, CrossFit Santa Cruz Central.

Back then, as is common today, CrossFit didn’t fit well within a traditional globo-gym like Spa. Even thought the Glassmans were the most successful trainers in the gym, they were eventually kicked out for being incompatible. Unfortunately for the Glassmans, this was the last gym left in Santa Cruz for them. There was nowhere else to go.

What was unfortunate for the Glassmans became a turning point for CrossFit. The Glassmans ended up renting the corner of Claudio Franca’s Jiu-Jitsu studio. From there, they rented their own space on Research Park Drive, which became the original CrossFit gym.

Jimmy was a client throughout these transitions. He was also one of their first financial backers, offering his credit card to the Glassmans to help buy equipment.

This video is a little of Jimmy’s story of the early days of CrossFit.

This footage is taken from his Basic Barbell Certification seminar at CrossFit Brand X in Ramona, CA on February 14, 2009.

In Part 1, Rip covers the essential anatomical and physiological structure of how movement happens around a joint. The relationship among muscle fascia, tendons, ligaments, and bones are addressed. 7min 26sec

In Part 2, Rip covers the basics of the motor units within the muscles. The more finely the muscles need to move, the more nerves there are per muscle fiber. 6min 37sec

In Part 3, Rip covers the various planes of movement (such as sagittal, frontal, horizontal, lateral). 11min 11sec

In Part 4, Rip covers internal and external rotation, particularly as it applies to the squat. He also covers supination and pronation. 4min 24sec

This footage is taken from his Basic Barbell Certification seminar at CrossFit Brand X in Ramona, CA on February 14, 2009.

In Part 1, Rip covers the essential anatomical and physiological structure of how movement happens around a joint. The relationship among muscle fascia, tendons, ligaments, and bones are addressed. 7min 26sec

In Part 2, Rip covers the basics of the motor units within the muscles. The more finely the muscles need to move, the more nerves there are per muscle fiber. 6min 37sec

In Part 3, Rip covers the various planes of movement (such as sagittal, frontal, horizontal, lateral). 11min 11sec

In Part 4, Rip covers internal and external rotation, particularly as it applies to the squat. He also covers supination and pronation. 4min 24sec

This footage is taken from his Basic Barbell Certification seminar at CrossFit Brand X in Ramona, CA on February 14, 2009.

In Part 1, Rip covers the essential anatomical and physiological structure of how movement happens around a joint. The relationship among muscle fascia, tendons, ligaments, and bones are addressed. 7min 26sec

In Part 2, Rip covers the basics of the motor units within the muscles. The more finely the muscles need to move, the more nerves there are per muscle fiber. 6min 37sec

In Part 3, Rip covers the various planes of movement (such as sagittal, frontal, horizontal, lateral). 11min 11sec

In Part 4, Rip covers internal and external rotation, particularly as it applies to the squat. He also covers supination and pronation. 4min 24sec

This footage is taken from his Basic Barbell Certification seminar at CrossFit Brand X in Ramona, CA on February 14, 2009.

In Part 1, Rip covers the essential anatomical and physiological structure of how movement happens around a joint. The relationship among muscle fascia, tendons, ligaments, and bones are addressed. 7min 26sec

In Part 2, Rip covers the basics of the motor units within the muscles. The more finely the muscles need to move, the more nerves there are per muscle fiber. 6min 37sec

In Part 3, Rip covers the various planes of movement (such as sagittal, frontal, horizontal, lateral). 11min 11sec

In Part 4, Rip covers internal and external rotation, particularly as it applies to the squat. He also covers supination and pronation. 4min 24sec

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Mark RippetoeMark Rippetoehttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/04/the-barbell-cert-vocabulary-and-terms-1.tplAudioExPhysiologyVideosSat, 04 Apr 2009 13:00:00 -0800Address to the Warrior Transition BatallionOn February 12-13, 2008, a CrossFit HQ staff went to Alamo CrossFit in San Antonio, TX for a special Level 1 certification seminar. Members of the Warrior Transition Battalion from the Brooke Army Medical Center gathered to learn the basics of functional movement and how to scale for any starting point.

In this video from CrossFit Again Faster, Kyle Maynard addresses the athletes from the perspective of someone who has had limited physical abilities his entire life. This, he acknowledges, is very different from having full capacity for most of their lives, and having some of it taken away.

Kyle talks about his own interest in military service, about finding the inspiration to keep going, and how this group inspires him. He points out that this event may be the first of its kind, where 20 guys, each with a different disability, train and workout side by side. Twenty different sets of modifications, but the same drills and the same ethic. It was a weekend he’ll never forget.

In this video by the CrossFit Again Faster crew, Dave addresses the concept of threshold training. Perfect technique and mechanics cannot be sustained at maximum output. Maximum output cannot be achieved without good technique and mechanics.

This conundrum is resolved by ramping up the intensity until the mechanics start to degrade, at which point the athlete should refocus on the mechanics while sustaining as much intensity as possible. Done properly, this practice leads to improved mechanics at higher and higher levels of intensity.

Dave compares three shooters performance with three performances of the workout “Grace” (30 clean and jerks at 135lbs for time). When to speed up, when to keep pushing, and when to slow down and fix mechanics are described.

5min 9sec

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Dave CastroDave Castrohttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/dave-castro-technique-vs-intensity.tplAudioCrossFitVideosSun, 22 Mar 2009 17:00:00 -0800The Archives: CrossFit Live — Episode 10CrossFit Live was Dave Young’s version of CrossFit Radio from 2005 and 2006. This is the 10th episode from January 8th, 2006. In this episode, Dave interviews Jamila Bey, Greg Glassman and Lynne Pitts.

Jamila is the new associate producer of CrossFit Live. She talks about her background as a stand up comedian, trainer, and journalist, and how she found CrossFit.

Greg Glassman (pictured with Saul Jimenez) talks about the highlights of 2005, including the huge growth to 45 affiliates. He also discusses the New York Times article from Dec 22, 2005. Lynne Pitts talks about her goals for 2006, before they take questions from callers.

Dave produced 16 CrossFit Live shows, and they will be rolled out gradually over the next few months.

Episode 10 - 1hr 46min 20sec

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Dave YoungDave Younghttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/the-archives-crossfit-live-episode-10.tplAudioCrossFitSun, 22 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0800The Gymnastics Cert Down Under: GSXJeff Tucker is the Coach for the CrossFit Gymnastics Cert. He and his team recently traveled to Sydney Australia with Andrew Cattermole of CrossFit Sydney.

This video from the CrossFit Again Faster crew is the third part of this series. Tucker talks about how GSX, his affiliate, came about. GSX is a blend of gymnastics and cheerleading instruction, and now with a full blown CrossFit box.

In the beginning, Tucker and Jason and two others ran the entire thing every day. Over time, they have successfully grown and brought in enough quality people that the gym runs on schedule while Tucker and Jason are in Sydney.

Gymnastics from a CrossFit perspective is competency in controlling your own body in three dimensional space. Like the Olympic lifts, they are worthy of a lifetime of study.

10min 5sec

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Jeff TuckerJeff Tuckerhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/tucker-down-under-gsx.tplAffiliationAudioGymnastics/TumblingVideosMon, 16 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0800Midline Stabilization Part 9: Quads Assessment Midline stabilization is essential for effective functional movement. Kelly Starrett, of San Francisco CrossFit, explains the essential anatomy and physiology of it in this excerpt from his one day seminar at CrossFit Santa Cruz on November 9, 2008.

The midline is the entire spine, and its stability is dependent not just on the core, but also on all the prime movers of the body, including the hip, glutes, and hamstrings. Excessive tightness in any of the prime movers will affect the core muscles, often resulting in low back pain.

In this part 9, Kelly works the quads, which are also a two joint muscle, and must be treated from both ends (knee and hip). Short quads are associated with both patella and hip issues. He shows a few tools to assess quads length, and how to do PNF for the quads.

This is the ninth of a series from Kelly on the theory and practice of stabilizing the midline in functional movement.

8min 20sec

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Kelly StarrettKelly Starretthttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/midline-stabilization-part-9-quad-assessment.tplAudioExPhysiologyVideosSun, 15 Mar 2009 16:00:00 -0800Intensity (and its Role in Fitness)Pat Sherwood presented the What is CrossFit lecture at the Maine State Police Criminal Justice Academy on June 19th, 2008. This video is the segment on intensity and its role in fitness.

Intensity, as we define it, is exactly equal to average power (force x distance / time). In other words, how much real work did you do and in what time period? The greater the average power, the greater the intensity. This makes it a measurable fact, not a debatable opinion.

Intensity and average power are the variable most commonly associate with optimizing favorable results. Whatever you want from exercise comes faster with intensity. It’s not volume or duration or heartrate or even discomfort. Do more work in less time (without overdoing it), and you’ll get fitter faster.

If you’ve been following the CrossFit site for a while, this isn’t new material. It is, however, the aspect of CrossFit that drives our success as much as any other single factor. And, in all domains, it’s always good to return to the fundamentals on a regular basis.

6min 39sec

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Pat SherwoodPat Sherwoodhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/intensity-and-its-role-in-fitness.tplAudioCrossFitVideosFri, 13 Mar 2009 17:00:00 -0800The Road to the 09 Games — Chuck 2Chuck Carswell is a presenter and head trainer for the traveling HQ seminar team for Level 1 and Level 2 certifications. He’s also an amazing athlete. He played cornerback for the University of Georgia from ’87 - ’91, and was on the development squad for the Miami Dolphins.

Chuck is 39 years old, 5'10", 197lbs. He’s married with two kids. He knows how to Overhead Squat. And as this video discusses, he is gearing up for the Dirty South Regional Qualifiers, where the competition is going to be very fierce.

In this part 2, we see more of Chuck, both as an athlete and trainer. He helps one seminar participant get his first muscle-up.

4min 33sec

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Chuck CarswellChuck Carswellhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/the-road-to-the-09-games-chuck-1-1.tplAthletesAudioCrossFit GamesVideosWed, 11 Mar 2009 17:00:00 -0800Midline Stabilization Part 8: The Muscles of the PelvisMidline stabilization is essential for effective functional movement. Kelly Starrett, of San Francisco CrossFit, explains the essential anatomy and physiology of it in this excerpt from his one day seminar at CrossFit Santa Cruz on November 9, 2008.

The midline is the entire spine, and its stability is dependent not just on the core, but also on all the prime movers of the body, including the hip, glutes, and hamstrings. Excessive tightness in any of the prime movers will affect the core muscles, often resulting in low back pain.

There are several two-joint muscles that affect midline stability. Understanding the roles of these muscles helps in diagnosing common flaws. In this episode, Kelly talks primarily about the quadraceps and hamstrings, the main two-joint muscles of the pelvis. He also addresses the relationship between head position and hamstring flexibility.

This is the eighth of a series from Kelly on the theory and practice of stabilizing the midline in functional movement.

6min 32sec

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Kelly StarrettKelly Starretthttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/midline-stabilization-part-8-the-muscles-of-the-pelvis.tplAudioExPhysiologyVideosTue, 10 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0800Zone Chronicles: Normalcy at HomePat Sherwood is one of CrossFit HQ’s top trainers. He is on the road most weekends at the various CrossFit Level 1 and Level 2 certification seminars. He is also a great athlete who is cranking out some very impressive WOD performances. Proper nutrition is essential for optimizing performance. But how can that happen with so much time on the road?

This video is the third in a series in which we get up close and personal with Pat and his eating. He brings his camera to the meal and we see exactly what happens. In this episode, Pat is actually home. He eats a weighed and measured four block meal, modified to fit his lifestyle and experienced results. He eats four blocks of turkey, two blocks of strawberries, cuts out two blocks of carbs and replaces them with six blocks of peanut butter, then puts four blocks of mayonnaise on the turkey. He eats this exact meal almost every time he’s home.

Understanding how a muscle works is essential to understanding how to strengthen it. This footage is taken from his Basic Barbell Certification seminar at CrossFit Brand X in Ramona, CA on February 14, 2009.

This video applies the basic concepts introduced in Part 1 to the actions in the back squat. The trunk muscles are in isometric contraction. The descent under load is driven down by gravity and there is an eccentric contraction of the muscles of the hips and knees. The ascent is a concentric contraction of those same muscles.

There is also a discussion about the difference between eccentric contractions under load and the language frequently used to describe the air squat as pulling yourself down using the hip flexors.

As simple as the concepts may be, a lot of very intelligent people still squat predominantly with their quads instead of their glutes and hamstrings. Coach Rippetoe orients his teaching of anatomy and physiology toward achieving proper mechanics in the basic barbell exercises.

8min 59sec

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Mark RippetoeMark Rippetoehttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/muscle-action-part-2.tplAudioExPhysiologyVideosSat, 07 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0800The Archives: CrossFit Live — Episode 9CrossFit Live was Dave Young’s version of CrossFit Radio from 2005 and 2006. This is the ninth episode from December 11th, 2005 with Eugene Allen from CrossFit Pierce County.

Eugene Allen (pictured under John Hackleman) talks about his background. After getting humbled physically, he decided he needed a fitness program that would make him a better all around athlete and human, which of course he found in CrossFit.

The general topic is First Responder Fitness, and why CrossFit is so ideal for law enforcement officers. Eugene takes questions from a variety of callers.

Dave produced 16 CrossFit Live shows, and they will be rolled out gradually over the next few months.

Josh is a competitive bodybuilder, as is one of his clients, Chastity Slone. Actually, Chastity is a pro Figure competitor. Their claim (it’s Josh’s voice behind the camera) is that there is no need to abandon your weighed and measured diet when you travel.

In about two and a half hours, Chastity is able to cook three full days of food. She is in the final two weeks of preparation for the Arnold, which takes place on Friday, March 6th, 2009. (As an aside, some of you may recognize on the Arnold list the name of Huong Arcinas, another CrossFitting Figure competitor from CrossFit Silicon Valley).

Whatever your opinion of their sports, there is no doubt that Chastity—and Josh and Huong for that matter—are incredibly disciplined. Chastity even packed five days of food into a cooler so she would have control over her diet while she was on a cruise.

11min 21sec

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Chastity SloneChastity Slonehttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/planning-ahead-for-your-diet.tplAudioNutritionVideosThu, 05 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0800CrossFit Kids: The Games and CompetitionJeff Martin talks about kids participating in the CrossFit Games and in CrossFit in general. Jeff and his wife Mikki run CrossFit Kids.

Kallista Pappas received the most notoriety for her performance in the Finals. Jeff talks about her incredible competitive spirit combined with her lack of fear and commitment to great mechanics. And she wasn’t the only one. There were several teenagers competing against, and beating, adults.

Jeff also talks about how CrossFit workouts are not safe and easy. They are a challenge that push kids to their limits. Something, he believes, that is generally missing from many kids’ lives.

5min 58sec

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Jeff MartinJeff Martinhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/crossfit-kids-the-games-and-competition.tplAudioKidsVideosWed, 04 Mar 2009 17:18:41 -0800The Road to the 09 Games — Chuck 1Chuck Carswell is a presenter and head trainer for the traveling HQ seminar team for Level 1 and Level 2 certifications. He’s also an amazing athlete. He played cornerback for the University of Georgia from ’87 - ’91, and was on the development squad for the Miami Dolphins.

Chuck is 39 years old, 5'10", 197lbs. He’s married with two kids. He knows how to Overhead Squat. And as this video discusses, he is gearing up for the Dirty South Regional Qualifiers, where the competition is going to be very fierce.

The CrossFit Again Faster crew caught up with him in San Antonio, TX at Alamo CrossFit on February 14-15, 2009. This is the first of two parts in which he talks about his background and his first experiences with CrossFit. Major Andrew Thompson, USMC, of CrossFit Quantico, and another of the CrossFit HQ seminar team, shares his insights into the Carswell.

Understanding how a muscle works is essential to understanding how to strengthen it. This footage is taken from his Basic Barbell Certification seminar at CrossFit Brand X in Ramona, CA on February 14, 2009.

This video covers the most basic concepts, such as flexion and extension, concentric, eccentric and isometric.

As simple as the concepts may be, a lot of very intelligent people still squat predominantly with their quads instead of their glutes and hamstrings. Coach Rippetoe orients his teaching of anatomy and physiology toward achieving proper mechanics in the basic barbell exercises.

8min 30sec

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Mark RippetoeMark Rippetoehttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/03/muscle-action-part-1.tplAudioExPhysiologyVideosMon, 02 Mar 2009 15:00:00 -0800The Archives: CrossFit Live — Episode 8CrossFit Live was Dave Young’s version of CrossFit Radio from 2005 and 2006. This is the eighth episode from November 13th, 2005 with Mike Rutherford from CrossFit Kansas City.

Rutman talked about his background and coaching history, before taking questions from callers. The role of strength development and use of dumbbells are covered, as well as details of how he runs his affiliate. He also talks about the need for good nutrition to optimize recovery.

Dave produced 16 CrossFit Live shows, and they will be rolled out gradually over the next few months.

Episode 8 - 1hr 26min 54sec

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Dave YoungDave Younghttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/02/the-archives-crossfit-live-episode-8.tplAffiliationAudioCoachingSat, 28 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0800This is Part 6 of the second episode of the Boz and Todd Experience. Boz and Todd, with special guest Chris Spealler, conducted four training sessions at Front Range CrossFit. Except for scheduling the athletes, these sessions were unplanned. They met with the athletes for the first time that night, interviewed them about their strengths and weaknesses, and took them through a training session and workout. Real world training with several of Front Range CrossFit’s regular clients.

In this video, Boz and Todd interview Skip Miller, the owner and head trainer at Front Range CrossFit. Skip talks about the culture of his gym, how he orients training throughout the year toward various competitions, and about priorities when it comes to clients.

Adrian Bozman, Todd Widman and Chris Spealler are three of CrossFit’s top trainers. They spend a significant portion of their time traveling around the country working the CrossFit Level 1 and Level 2 certification seminars.

10min 9sec

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Adrian Bozman and Todd WidmanAdrian Bozman and Todd Widmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/02/the-boz-todd-experience-episode-2-part-6.tplAffiliationAudioCoachingVideosFri, 27 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0800Zone Chronicles: Jersey Marriott BreakfastPat Sherwood is one of CrossFit HQ’s top trainers. He is on the road most weekends at the various CrossFit Level 1 and Level 2 certification seminars. He is also a great athlete who is cranking out some very impressive WOD performances. Proper nutrition is essential for optimizing performance. But how can that happen with so much time on the road?

This video is the second in a series in which we get up close and personal with Pat and his eating. He brings his camera to the meal and we see exactly what happens.

In this episode, New Jersey Marriott Breakfast, Pat is in the throes of a post cheat meal hangover (even though he doesn’t drink!). His breakfast is typical for on the road: fatty meats, eggs, and peanut butter. This is hardly the 40-30-30 ration prescribed by the Zone, but Pat considers himself on an overall modified Zone diet.

The playful tone of the series lightens a serious issue. How can we fuel ourselves in the real world for optimal performance, balancing the demands of work, friends, and life? Pat’s solutions may or may not work for everyone, but these videos are one real example of how a serious athlete and trainer eats.

3min 11sec

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Pat SherwoodPat Sherwoodhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/02/zone-chronicles-jersey-marriott-breakfast.tplAudioNutritionVideosFri, 27 Feb 2009 14:25:51 -0800CrossFit’s New Three-Dimensional Definition of Fitness and Health - 1In this two part lecture, Coach Greg Glassman unifies fitness and health. This lecture is the first time we’ve published a revolutionary new component (a three-dimensional model) that has the potential to both redefine and unite the health and fitness fields forever.

Health can now be concisely and precisely defined as increased work capacity across broad time, modal, and age domains. Work capacity is the ability to perform real physical work as measured by force x distance / time (which is average power). Fitness is this ability in as many domains as possible.

Science is about measurement and prediction. Without measurable, observable, repeatable data concerning the fundamental physical units of kinematics (mass, distance, and time or MKS) there is no science of human performance. This is true of the planets, automobiles, and exercise.

Physical output can be measured in terms of foot-pounds/min. We move our own bodies and we move external objects. We can measure how heavy those bodies and objects are, how far they travel, and in what time period. Your ability to move large loads, long distances, quickly, in the broadest variety of domains is fitness. And the ability to sustain that fitness throughout your life is a defining measure of health.

CrossFit’s prescription for achieving this fitness is constantly varied high intensity functional movements. We can accurately predict improvements in work capacity across broad time, modal, and age domains through this prescription. We have tens of thousands of examples at this point.

The new component introduced in this lecture is age. Fitness can be graphed in two-dimensions with duration of effort on the x-axis and power on the y-axis. At each duration, we average your power capacity across a variety of modal domains (skills and drills). This creates a power curve, the area under which is your work capacity across broad time and modal domains (aka fitness).

We can now add a third dimension to this graph, the z-axis, which is age. By reassessing your two-dimensional fitness at various times throughout your life, we graph the form of a solid. The power curve takes on the shape of a plateau or blanket. This three-dimensional graph is a defining measure of health. Health, therefore, is nothing other than sustained fitness.

In Part 1, Coach covers the first three operational models of fitness originally published in the seminal What is Fitness article, and how they become united by the work capacity graph. 20min 0sec.

In Part 2, Coach explains the fourth model, the sickness, wellness, fitness continuum, and how that becomes subordinate to the metric of maximizing the volume of work capacity across broad time and modal domains throughout your life. 17min 51sec.

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Greg GlassmanGreg Glassmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/02/crossfits-new-definition-of-fitness-volume-under-the-curve-1.tplAudioCrossFitExPhysiologyLevel 1 Certificate Course—Supporting ContentReferenceVideosSat, 21 Feb 2009 16:01:00 -0800CrossFit’s New Three-Dimensional Definition of Fitness and Health - 2In this two part lecture, Coach Greg Glassman unifies fitness and health. This lecture is the first time we’ve published a revolutionary new component (a three-dimensional model) that has the potential to both redefine and unite the health and fitness fields forever.

Health can now be concisely and precisely defined as increased work capacity across broad time, modal, and age domains. Work capacity is the ability to perform real physical work as measured by force x distance / time (which is average power). Fitness is this ability in as many domains as possible.

Science is about measurement and prediction. Without measurable, observable, repeatable data concerning the fundamental physical units of kinematics (mass, distance, and time or MKS) there is no science of human performance. This is true of the planets, automobiles, and exercise.

Physical output can be measured in terms of foot-pounds/min. We move our own bodies and we move external objects. We can measure how heavy those bodies and objects are, how far they travel, and in what time period. Your ability to move large loads, long distances, quickly, in the broadest variety of domains is fitness. And the ability to sustain that fitness throughout your life is a defining measure of health.

CrossFit’s prescription for achieving this fitness is constantly varied high intensity functional movements. We can accurately predict improvements in work capacity across broad time, modal, and age domains through this prescription. We have tens of thousands of examples at this point.

The new component introduced in this lecture is age. Fitness can be graphed in two-dimensions with duration of effort on the x-axis and power on the y-axis. At each duration, we average your power capacity across a variety of modal domains (skills and drills). This creates a power curve, the area under which is your work capacity across broad time and modal domains (aka fitness).

We can now add a third dimension to this graph, the z-axis, which is age. By reassessing your two-dimensional fitness at various times throughout your life, we graph the form of a solid. The power curve takes on the shape of a plateau or blanket. This three-dimensional graph is a defining measure of health. Health, therefore, is nothing other than sustained fitness.

In Part 1, Coach covers the first three operational models of fitness originally published in the seminal What is Fitness article, and how they become united by the work capacity graph. 20min 0sec.

In Part 2, Coach explains the fourth model, the sickness, wellness, fitness continuum, and how that becomes subordinate to the metric of maximizing the volume of work capacity across broad time and modal domains throughout your life. 17min 51sec.

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Greg GlassmanGreg Glassmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/02/crossfits-new-definition-of-fitness-volume-under-the-curve-2.tplAudioCrossFitExPhysiologyLevel 1 Certificate Course—Supporting ContentReferenceVideosSat, 21 Feb 2009 16:00:00 -0800The Archives: CrossFit Live — Episode 7CrossFit Live was Dave Young’s version of CrossFit Radio from 2005 and 2006. This is the seventh episode from October 2nd, 2005 with Dan John. Dan is the Strength Coach and Head Track and Field Coach at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper, Utah.

Dan talked about his background and athletic achievements before taking questions on lifting and throwing from a variety of callers.

Dave produced 16 CrossFit Live shows, and they will be rolled out gradually over the next few months.

Episode 7 - 1hr 48min 38sec

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Dave YoungDave Younghttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/02/the-archives-crossfit-live-episode-7.tplAudioOlympic LiftsPowerliftingThu, 12 Feb 2009 14:01:11 -0800An Interview with Caity Matter: Part 3Caity Matter of Rogue Fitness in Gahanna, OH won the 2008 CrossFit Games. She now works for Ohio State University as a project manager. Todd Widman caught up to her at the Schottenstein Arena, where she played and trained. The varsity women’s basketball team is practicing and training in the background.

She played 5 years of basketball at Ohio State, as a starter whenever she was healthy, and as captain her senior year. This is from her senior year roster profile:

All-Big Ten player was the team's leading scorer in 2003-04, averaging 14.8 PPG on 157-356 shooting (.441) and 73-209 (.349) from 3-point range. Won Edward S. Steitz award in 2003 for being the country's top 3-point shooter. Has been starting since her freshman season.

Caity also played for the Charlotte Sting in the WNBA in 2005. And, over the past holidays, she just got engaged to Bill Henniger, founder of Rogue Fitness. Congratulations to both of you!

In this final of three interview videos, Caity talks about playing basketball at OSU and Charlotte, including a section from within the main arena while the AC/DC roadies set up for the concert that night. There is also an interview with Bill Henniger about Rogue Fitness, and they each talk about how they met.

8min 38sec

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Caity MatterCaity Matterhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/02/an-interview-with-caity-matter-part-3.tplAthletesAudioCrossFit GamesSports ApplicationsVideosMon, 02 Feb 2009 16:50:06 -0800National War College Speech: Part 4 (Q&A 2)On January 6, 2009, Coach Greg Glassman was invited to give a presentation on CrossFit to over 100 future leaders of our nation’s military from the National War College at the National Defense University’s Baruch Hall. He presented on the same stage where President Bush, Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, and Colin Powell also addressed the students of the National War College. Present in the audience was Lt. Gen. Frances Wilson, President of the National Defense University.

This is the second Question and Answer video from the talk, and the conclusion of the series. In it, Coach Glassman answers a series of questions from the audience. Topics include what qualifies a CrossFit certified trainer, the efficacy of training off the CrossFit.com website without a trainer, and the need to determine functional weaknesses prior to engaging in the workouts.

The simple answer to the qualification question is results, as measured by efficacy (what it does), efficiency (the rate of adaptation), and safety (how many are sidelined along the way). Website workouts without a trainer can be highly effective, though rarely optimally so. And finally, a qualified trainer can both diagnose and effectively treat isolated and/or systemic weaknesses through functional movements, so separate assessment tools are not necessary.

17min 11sec (An audio-only version is also available)

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Greg GlassmanGreg Glassmanhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/02/national-war-college-speech-part-4-qa-2.tplAudioCrossFitLEO/MilVideosSun, 01 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0800The Road to the 09 Games — Gillian 3Gillian Mounsey finished 3rd overall in the 2008 CrossFit Games. She had been training CrossFit specifically for only 12 weeks. But, as we find out in this profile from Again Faster, she has been training hard for about 16 years.

In this final of three parts, Gillian talks about the role of coaching, how she programs her workouts, her 16 years of logging her training, how she views training as she moves through her 30s and older, and nutrition.

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Gillian MounseyGillian Mounseyhttp://journal.crossfit.com/2009/01/the-road-to-the-09-games-gillian-3.tplAthletesAudioCrossFit GamesVideosSat, 31 Jan 2009 16:26:08 -0800National War College Speech: Part 3 (Q&A 1)On January 6, 2009, Coach Greg Glassman was invited to give a presentation on CrossFit to over 100 future leaders of our nation’s military from the National War College at the National Defense University’s Baruch Hall. He presented on the same stage where President Bush, Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, and Colin Powell also addressed the students of the National War College. Present in the audience was Lt. Gen. Frances Wilson, President of the National Defense University.

This is the first Question and Answer video from the talk. In it, Coach Glassman answers two questions thoroughly: Is there any role of cycles or periodization with the CrossFit program? And, is there an issue with connective tissue adaptation with the intensity of CrossFit workouts, particularly as one ages?

The simple answers to both are no. GPP (General Physical Preparedness) is more important to creating a ready state conducive to elite performance training in any realm than any specialized physical training. To the second question, the CrossFit program, when introduced responsibly, has resulted in a statistically significant reduction in all-cause injury whenever it has been tested against existing PT programs.